書鄉路穩宜頻到 A book a day keeps dementia away -- no wonder I'm heading to premature dementia every day: insufficient reading.

21 May, 2009

Angels and Demons

Everyone deserves a second chance.

Last time, I finished reading the Da Vinci Code before going to the cinema for the film and the movie experience was rather ordinary.

This time, I watched the movie first because all copies of the book in the libraries were gone and the waiting list was long. The effect: GREAT.

The movie does an excellent adaptation and gives the audience a thrilling theatre ride with clear plot and impressive footage.

Thirty minutes after coming out from the cinema on Sunday last, I went to the library and picked up my reserved copy. On Wednesday, finish reading the whole book. It was as if I was reading a similar adventure which started and ended with a greater magnitude. The movie shows a more down-to-earth version to make the whole thing look very convincing. I totally approve the dramatic change of the assassin -- this more 'politically-correct' adaptation allows more international audience to accept the movie and opens room for deeper reflection of the dark side of humanity. The preserved dialogues and speeches are coherent and to the point.

The book is wilder in terms of fantasy with even more twists and turns. One cannot help to marvel at the detailed research that has been reflected in the book. It is a miracle that a living author who is not old, can be both knowledgeable on such a vast varieties of subjects and skillful in the art of story-telling. I mentioned the short time in which I have finished the book as a testimony to the page-turning magic that the book carries, instead of my reading speed.Frankly speaking, it is not an easy reading at all due to the scientific terminology as well as history and arts. Knowing the key plot from the movie did not in any way compromise the surprises and joys in reading the book and did not make the reading a secondary experience at all.

So, a second visit to Italy seems inevitable. Don't go there without reading/watching this story (a second time)!